Ministry encouraging responsible tourism

Travel agencies are encouraged to organize small-scale group tourism tours and avoid trips to high COVID-19 risk areas, the Ministry of Cultural and Tourism said on Friday.

In a series of guidelines concerning the entertainment and travel industry, the ministry said that the size of group tours should be determined based on local virus control requirements and the travel agencies' individual capacities to handle travelers.

Agencies should not arrange group tours to high-risk areas or receive tourists coming from such places, the ministry said.

"Local authorities should not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach or impose additional restrictions on the travel industry, so as to protect the lives and health of people while minimizing the epidemic's impact on tourism," it said.

Meanwhile, the ministry said that in regions seeing no new infections, local governments should not limit the number of customers attending concerts, theaters, music festivals and other performance venues.

They are also barred from shutting down internet cafes and other entertainment facilities recklessly. If it is necessary to impose COVID-19 restrictions at such places, such restrictions should be lifted promptly once the facilities meet epidemic control and prevention requirements, the ministry said.